If you can't beat them, join them. If you can't join them, stay the hell out of the way!
"I can't believe you told your parents!" Helga said, entering the mansion with anger in each step. "Why the heck did you tell them?"
"But Helga, are you excited?" Arnold asked in confusion, "Why wouldn't you be?"
"No kidding!" Gerald interjected, "You get to cheer in games, practice cool flips-"
"I'm not some daffodil that wears mini skirts and parades around school showing half of their boobs out for display!" Helga shouted, hovering over them, "The only reason that I tried out for the stupid squad to show Rhonda that if I really wanted to, I could beat her! That doesn't mean you need to tell everyone that I made the team!"
"So...you aren't going to join?"
Helga glared at him, "What do you think, football head-"
"Help!" A voice interrupted, "Isn't there someone there?"
The three followed the pleads of assistance down the hall and soon reached a room full of green, straight, slanted lines. In the midst of them, were three very nervous persons in odd positions, brows covered with sweat and muscles that could give out at any moment.
"Finally!" a girl with brown hair shouted, trembling nervously. "We're frying here!"
Gerald raised a eyebrow, "I doesn't see what the problem is. Just walk out."
Helga nearly face palmed, "Those are lasers, nimrod!"
"Precisely! Now can someone please help us out?" A lanky man said as he attempted to reach the remote, almost burning himself as he failed.
The boys looked over to Helga expectantly.
"What?" Helga spat bitterly, "One of you guys go for a change."
Arnold pointed to his football shaped cranium and Gerald structured to his tall hair that he was incapable of tying back.
"Fine, you bunch of sissies," she untied her low ponytail, letting the sweet scent of vanilla fill the air as it was retied higher (Much to the happiness of Arnold, gladly taking in the smell to the confusion of Gerald).
"What do I have to do?" She called into the ray-filled arena.
"Get the black remote," A overweight balding man started, pausing as his sweat evaporated by the heat of the lasers, his face dangerously close, "But avoid the lasers at all cost. They burn!"
"OK."
Helga backed up against the wall, her facing the opening to the door with complete determination to finish the task. With a deep sigh, she ran in only to be tripped up by Gerald's unsuspecting foot, tumbling into the deadly arena full of lasers. To her luck, she managed to narrowly avoid any serious injury, with only a few scrapes here and there as her body tumbled to the wall, just inches away from the deadly light beam to the fear, worry and guilt of the respective persons in the vicinity.
Giving the deepest scowl she could muster to Gerald as she backed away, Helga gave another deep sigh as she jumped high into the air, spending her feet away from any available beams. As she landed, she raised her arms in the air, cartwheeling past all the lasers.
Many narrow dodges, turns and flips later, Helga's hand pushed the black button in a final slide, much to the relief of the captives as they collapsed and the excitement of Arnold.
"You did it!" He rushed into the vault, giving her a hug for the second time that day.
She chuckled, planning to milk the cow for all it's worth, "Doi."
Realizing the reason she almost killed herself and pushing away Pushing from Arnold's warmth, she turned to face Gerald with heightened anger. "You idiot!"
Gerald gave a nervous smile, backing away as she stepped closer and closer forward, "Is it too late for sorry?"
"Helga, it's been 10 minutes. Don't you think you should let him go?"
Helga scoffed, twirling the remote in her hands. "Yeah right, Football Head."
In the midst of the many lasers stood Gerald, standing in a very awkward position in his best effort to avoid getting fried. The inhabitants of the mansion had decided to retire for the night, after maintaining an uncomfortable position for God-knows-how-long, and trusting the three preteens to secure everything up when they were done. This gave Helga the perfect opportunity to push Gerald in and set up the lasers before Arnold could stop her.
"Please?" he whimpered, doing his best to remain immobile. "I'm really sorry!"
"Not until you know how it's like to be almost fried, Tall hair boy."
"Helga..." Arnold frowned, "It's not right to keep him holed up like this. He could die!"
"And I couldn't when he tripped me?"
Arnold paused, knowing she had a point. "But it was an accident..."
"So what, hair boy?"
"This," he gestured to a still nerve-racked Gerald, "Isn't!"
"What's your point?"
"My point is maybe you should let Gerald out."
"MAYBE?" Gerald exclaimed, but his cries went ignored.
"No."
"Please Helga?"
He bore into her azure blue eyes, almost tauntingly daring her to refuse. And how could she?
"Ugh," She said, doing her best not to swoon and collapse right there, "Fine." With the push of a button, Gerald happily fell onto the ground. Standing up with a brush of his shirt, he walked over to them.
"Let's bail."
"Doi."
"Man, I don't know what was scarier; almost getting burnt to a crisp or the fact that you two were arguing like an old married couple." Gerald commented as they stepped into the cool dark night.
"WHAT?!" Helga and Arnold shouted at once.
"Yeah," Gerald continued without much thought, "I know you guys are friends now but ugh, I've never seen you two fight like that."
"L-Like what?"
"Over some deep relationship issues or shit like that," He answered for Helga tiredly, not wanting to continue.
"My mom's car is over there. Let's go," Arnold said quickly to avoid further relationship comments, speed walking towards the vehicle.
"Is everyone all right? I thought I heard some yelling in there," Stella said, giving the kids a once over.
"Criminy," Helga muttered, yawning heavily, "We're fine."
"Just making sure." Stella sang out, "Now let's get you 3 home."
God, I'm like the queen of short AND late chapters lately, huh? Don't worry, we'll get to the juicy, 'is Helga being a cheerleader or not' conclusion soon enough, so if you're still reading this, continue reading...or you'll never know...Muwh ha ha ha *cough*
Please tell me what you think by reviewing! :)